Robert matheson



UNITED STATES ROBERT MATHESON, OF OXFORD, COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO RUFUS WVOOD, ALLEN HAIGH, AND

JOHN ROBB, ALL OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 412,519, dated October 8, 1889.

Application filed July 23,1889.

To all whom it may concerm' Be it known that 1, ROBERT MATHESON,0

Oxford, county of Cumberland, Nova Scotia,

Canada, have invented an Improvement in 5 Car-Couplings, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanyin g drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to con struct a car-coupling which, while retaining all of the advantages of a loose or link-andpin coupling, shall combine therewith the important principle of automatic coupling, not alone with couplings of its own type, but with couplings of any other'type as well.

My invention consists in the combination, with the usual draw-bar and draw-head, of a link-lifting device operated by the abutting contact of the two draw-heads in the act of coupling.

My invention also consists in certain details of construction to be hereinafter pointed out.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a coupling embodying my invention, together with part of another like coupling, the couplings being separated; Fig. 2, a similar view showing the same coupled together; Fig. 3, a face view of'one of my couplings, the coupling-pin being elevated; and Fig. 4, a cross-section taken on the dotted line c 00, Fig. 2, looking toward the right.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the usual draw-bar, having secured to it or formed as a part of it the draw-head A, having at its front end the usual flange A and the recess A to receive the coupling-link. A vertical passage A to receive the coupling-pin 5, extends down through the draw-head, intersect ing the link-receiving recessA The flange A of the draw-head has a slot a, (see Fig. 3,) located above the recess A for the reception of the sliding buffer or pin-supporter I), the said buffer being herein shown as a plate of 5 steel or other equivalent material fitted to slide in suitable guideways a, formed in the upper side of the draw-head, the said buifer having a portion I) turned down, preferably at right angles, as shown, into the slot or Serial No. 318,365. (No model.)

chamber A formed in the draw-head, a plate or cam A being bolted or otherwise secured to the upper side of the draw-head by bolts 2, to retain the buffer in the said guideways. The flange A just below the mouth of the link-receiving recess A has a second slot 0, for the reception of the link-lifter d,-l1erein shown as a plate of steel or other equivalent material, hinged at its rear end, as at d, to a sliding plate 01*, adapted to slide in suitable guideways 0, formed in the under side of the draw-head, the said plate (1 at its rear end being bent, preferably at right angles, to form a lip 01 which lies behind the downturned end I) of the buffer 1;. A spiral spring 6 is interposed between the upturned end 61 of the plate (1 and the head A, the normal tendency of the said spring being to force the said buffer and link-lifter into their outermost positions, as shown in section in Fig. 1.

A plate A bolted to the under side of the draw-head, holds the sliding plate d and the link-lifter d in place. The slot 0 at its lower side is cut away to allow the link-lifter d to drop below a horizontal position, as shown in section, Fig. 1, when the same is in itsoutermost position; but when. the said link-lifter is drawn into the draw-head through the slot 0 it is gradually raised into horizontal position, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1.

The buffer b and link-lifter dare provided with holes 10 12, (see Fig. 1,) which, when the said buffer and link-lifter are in their innermost positions, register with the vertical passage A; but when the said buffer and linklifter are in their outermost positions, as in Fig. 1, the passage A is cut off, the pin 5 then resting upon and being supported by the bufier b.

The operation of my improved car-coup ling is as follows, assuming the various parts to be in the positions shown in Fig. 1, the buffer and link -1ifter being in their outermost positions, with the coupling-pin resting upon the buffer. Let E represent the draw head of the coupling of another 5 car, and E a coupling-link carried thereby and held loosely by. a pin E As the drawheads approach each other, the coupling-link I draw-head A".

link-lifter is drawn into the said draw-head through the slot 0, it is gradually raised to a horizontal position, lifting the coupling-link E sufficiently, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1, so as to readily enter the recess A of the As the drawheads come together, the buii'er h is forced into the head A and the link E enters the recess A until the faces of the two draw-heads come together, as shown in Fig. 2, when the buffer and linklifter having been forced completely in the holes 10 and 12 therein register with the VGF tical passage A, allowing the pin 5 to drop down into the passage A passing through the link E" in its descent and completing the operation of coupling.

The spiral spring c is compressed, as shown. in Fig. 2, during the coupling operation, so that when the pin 5 is withdrawn and the cars are separated the said spring will imme- 0 diately force the link-lifter and buffer out again into position shown by the section lines, Fig. 1.

My improved coupling will couple auto matically with any other usual linkand-pin coupling, as well as with one like itself, so

long as the other coupling is adapted to push the buifer 1) into the head A before it.

Should the coupling-link E be carried by the draw-head A instead of by the draw-head E,

40 the buffer and link-lifter will then be retained in their innermostpositions by the pin 5, and

thus out of the way, so that they cannot interfere in any way with the coupling of cars in usual manner.

It will also be noticed that whenitis desired to couple two cars both of which are equipped with my improved coupling, the buffer and link-lifter on the drai *-head which carries the link will be in the draw-head, where they can in no wise interfere with the buffer and link lifter on the other draw-head.

\Vhen necessary, the buffer may be retained within the draw-head,if the coupling pin 5 is withdrawn, by dropping a small pin 20 (see dotted lines, Fig. 2) into a hole 25 in the upper side of the draw-head, the pin passing through a hole 26 in the buffer, as shown I do not desire to limit my invention to the particular construction shown, as the same may be varied somewhat and still come within the scope of this invention.

1. In a carcoupling, the draw-bar and its draw-head, combined with a movable buffer and a pivoted sliding link-lifter operated thereby, substantially as described.

2. The draw-bar and its draw-head, combined with a movable buffer]; and a movable plate (52?, having a hinged linlc-lifter (1, substantially as described.

3. The draw-bar and its draw-head A, having a link-receiving recess A", a flange A and openings at and 0 above and below the said recess A, and the movable buffer 1) in the said opening a, combined with the linklifter in the said opening 0 below the said recess A the lower side of the opening being shaped to allow the said link-lifter to drop down at its free end below a horizontal plane when the same is in its outermost position, and a spring to keep the buffer and linklifter normally in their outermost positions, substantially as described.

4;. The draw-bar and its draw-head A, having a link-receiving recess A and a vertical passage intercepting the said recess for a coupling-pin, combined with a movable buifer located above the said recess and a link-lifter located below the said recess, the said buifer being provided with a hole which registers with the said vertical passage when the said buffer is in its innermost position only, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT MATHESON.

\Vitnesses:

M. L. RODGER, C. II. OSELEY. 

